Hi guys this has probably been brought up before but I can't find much and am pretty new to this forum, but what are the difference between genuine LR side steps and other after market ones?
Also where is the best place to purchase a decent set of side steps?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

No difference, they are both a magnet for road salt and corrosion seriously I know these steps have their fans, but think long and hard why you want to put them on. In my humble opinion they serve no purpose at all. . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

I have to agree with MatynB.

I had them on my last F2, and it was a mistake. A lot of people actually struggled to use them properly, by stepping up onto the step with their leading foot, and found they got leg tied.

Also, some people struggled to use them when getting out. If SWMBO had a long dress or coat on, they had a habit of brushing against the clothing and leaving dirty marks.

If its the aesthetic appearance you are after, I'd consider tree sliders, and they don't hold the muck and dirt like the side steps. Updated- Waiting for a Scotland v England 6 Nations home win. 24th Feb 2018
Gone-1972 88 SWB Soft top
Gone-1981 24v FFR Lightweight
Gone-2009 Freelander 2 TD4 GS manual
Gone before it bankrupted me- 2008 Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto
2013 Freelander 2 SD4 GS Auto

Agree with the above, personal opinion is I don't like, but each to their own.

Try Duckworths or Matfords both on here. If it wasn't so bad it'd be funny.

🐑
Freelander 2 HSE auto 2014 ( Florrie ) ..... Try again.
Freelander 2 GS 2012...... Gone.

Thanks for your advise I may not bother now they seem more hassle than what they are worth!! And yes they were only for the appearance of the car

I had them fitted because it makes it easier for SWIMBO who has a medical condition to get in and out.

Also, I find them very useful to get in when someone has parked too close and the door can't be opened enough.

I don't do any serious off-roading, just some easy green lanes and muddy farm tracks etc. and although they lower ground clearance slightly they do not make any difference to off-road ability. It's useful to wash off the underside with a hose or pressure washer to get the crud and mud etc. off.

J

PS: I think the car looks better without them but SWIMBO needs them.

I fitted them on my previous Freelander, & when I bought my current Freelander, I quickly remembered why I bought them before:-

1. Easier for the kids climbing in the back.
2. My mother can't climb up that far without them.
3. makes it easier to wash the roof etc., & saves damaging the inner sills standing on them when washing the roof(we're not all over 6feet tall)

Yes it's down to personal choice, but having had the freelander with & without them, I prefer with, but thats just me!

Hairdresser Equipment ............. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

 Updated- Waiting for a Scotland v England 6 Nations home win. 24th Feb 2018
Gone-1972 88 SWB Soft top
Gone-1981 24v FFR Lightweight
Gone-2009 Freelander 2 TD4 GS manual
Gone before it bankrupted me- 2008 Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto
2013 Freelander 2 SD4 GS Auto

Geordie Boy wrote:

My mother can't climb up that far without them.

Well if its Mother in law sales will have dived then  FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

My 2007 model came with them already fitted when I purchased it and I can see the appeal from a cosmetic point of view. I can also see how they can be helpful for those with less mobility than others for both getting in and getting out of the vehicle. I don't need to use them myself (not yet anyway) and I probably wouldn't have had them fitted if they were not already there, having said that, I won't be taking them off either. Realistically there is no right or wrong on this issue, some like them, some don't. That's fine we need different opinions on things, just as some people like black wheels and others prefer silver, it's all down to personal choice, if you like them then fit them, if not don't

I fitted them to mine and loved how they looked. However...
They are a sod to keep clean and the silver sides never come clean again. They were great for my daughter but everyone else just got filthy trousers from them. They lowered the ground clearance quite a lot (not the steps so much as the brackets that hold them).
I would go for the bars, which I think may be the tree sliders mentioned above. You can get these with little rubber steps on by each door so you can still use them like steps. Much lower profile to so all the benefits, none of the drawbacks...

I've had steps and replaced them with stainless bars - plenty of pics in my gallery No Longer the owner of a 2013MY Fuji White GS

"Fiat Lux" a philosophy not a car